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PHILADELPHIA – With 32,287 fans in the stands, David Buchanan never really got to savor the first moment he walked onto the field as a major-leaguer.

"I kind of blacked out when the game started," Buchanan said afterward with a laugh.

Buchanan, 25, was able to do all the typical rookie things when he arrived at Citizens Bank Park on Friday afternoon. With Cliff Lee on the disabled list, the Phillies tabbed Buchanan to take Lee's place in the rotation for at least Saturday's start. Judging by Buchanan's success, his stint may be longer.

On Saturday, Buchanan was able to focus on the game, which helped tremendously in the Phillies' 5-3 win over the Dodgers, a victory that snapped a three-game losing skid.

Buchanan was solid over five innings. He allowed two runs on five hits, striking out two and walking none. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg pulled the young starter after only 66 pitches, sensing disaster with the Dodgers lineup about to see him for a third time through the batting order.

"He was missing some locations," Sandberg said. "He was starting to get up in the zone."

Buchanan insisted he wasn't tired and was a bit surprised when Sandberg gave him the hook. Nonetheless, he still wore a wide grin for his entire postgame news conference. Scores of friends and family flocked to Philadelphia for the Fayetteville, Georgia, native's debut. Buchanan said he received 15 tickets from the team, and other supporters had already bought tickets to Saturday's game before even inquiring about team-issued tickets.

"It means the world to me," he said.

His presence here, however, comes as little surprise. A late non-roster invitee to spring training, Buchanan wowed Sandberg and pitching coach Bob McClure throughout spring, firmly establishing himself as the team's sixth starter in case of injury. Up until the last weekend of camp, Sandberg was considering him for a spot in the bullpen.

"Early on [Saturday], he was mixing his pitches and getting some ground balls like he did the first couple innings," Sandberg said. "That's what we saw [in spring]. So that's an outing he can build on as we need him."

Buchanan said it was a little weird when Triple-A Lehigh Valley manager Rod Brundage and pitching coach Ray Burris pulled Buchanan into the manager's office after Buchanan's last start with the IronPigs. They talked about Buchanan's mindset and sent him on his way.

"I started leaving the room and he goes 'I just wanted to make sure you were ready so when Chooch gives you that fastball you're ready to throw it.' I kind of stopped and was like, 'OK?' " Buchanan said. "I looked at Ray and he started laughing. He couldn't hold it in any more and I was like, 'Are you serious right now?' And he goes 'Yeah. You're going up on Saturday.' My stomach just dropped."

He didn't show those jitters on the mound. And the youngster received instant offensive help – four runs in the first two innings – from a team that looked completely inept at the plate a night before.

The first four Dodgers he faced – Dee Gordon, Justin Turner, Yasiel Puig and Adrian Gonzalez – all grounded out, putting Buchanan in a groove he never lost. His only runs came in the fourth and fifth, a RBI groundout and an RBI single to blame. He limited the damage well.

Less than three hours after throwing his first major league pitch, Buchanan had his first major league win. He and his family planned to celebrate afterward by eating at Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chao.

"A dream," Buchanan said of Saturday. "Just to be out there, have my family out there and to do it in front of the home fans – I'm overwhelmed with emotion right now. It was an experience of a lifetime."